Card-feeding apparatus



Aug. 28, 1962 l. PAVLlC 3,051,477

CARD-FEEDING APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor IV PA VL ('c A tlorneys Aug. 28, 1962 I. PAVLIC CARD-FEEDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1960 Inventor IVO PA 1/1. [C

Aug. 28, 1962 1. PAVLIC 3,051,477

CARD-FEEDING APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1960 v 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Attorney This invention relates to card feeding apparatus and in particular to apparatus for feeding statistical record cards for example to card-reading apparatus arranged to control an electronic computing machine.

As is Well understood electronic computing machines sometimes require that the information fed thereto be fed as demanded by the machine and although in some instances this may synchronize with the rate at which cards are fed in succession from a magazine to a reading device, it may sometimes be required that the information be fed at intervals which do not synchronize with the cyclic operation of the card-feeding apparatus. It is a main object of the present invention to provide card-feeding apparatus which will permit cards to be fed cyclically from a magazine to card-reading apparatus, which will permit the flow of cards to be interrupted without causing interruption of the cyclic operation of the apparatus by which cards are delivered from the magazine, or which will permit cards delivered to a waiting station to be move-d therefrom to card-reading apparatus in an order as determined by a computing machine.

According to the present invention there is provided card-feeding apparatus wherein cards are arranged to be delivered one at a time from a magazine to a waiting station at which a predetermined number of cards are supported one above the other in spaced relation for selective removal from the waiting station, the cards being delivered from the magazine in a manner such as to maintain the predetermined number of cards at the waiting station.

Further according to the invention there is provided card-feeding apparatus comprising a card ejector for each of at least two platforms spaced apart one over the other, said car detectors being selectively operable to move a card from the platform appropriate thereto to feeding elements arranged to withdraw the card from the platform, and a distributor movable relative to the platforms and operable to guide on to a vacant platform a card delivered from a magazine by a reciprocable picker element.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through card-feeding apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on line 11-11, FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of a part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, looking in the direction of arrow III, FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in operative posit-ions thereof different from those shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates a modification to FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 illustrates a modification to the apparatus, some parts of which are, for clarity, omitted from: this figure.

In the drawings like or similar parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.

Referring to the drawings, a stack of cards 1 is contained in a magazine 2, and cards are moved, one at a time, from the bottom of the magazine by a reciprocating pickerelement 3. It will be understood that reciprocation of the picker element may be effected in any known manner. As a card is moved out of the magazine by the 3,051,477 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 picker element 3, it is received between a pair of rotating rollers 4, 5 provided with notches 6 whereby the leading edge of the card is permitted to pass the bight of the rollers 4, 5 before being gripped between the peripheral surfaces thereof and delivered by the rollers 4, 5 on to one or other of two platforms 7, 8 secured to a machine frame 9.

The platforms 7, 8 are arranged one above the other and a card being delivered thereto is guided on to the appropriate platform by a distributor 10 which comprises a guide plate secured to the armature 11 of a distributoroperated solenoid 12;. From FIG. 1 it will be understood that according to the position of the distributor 10 a card delivered by the rollers 4, 5 will be delivered either on to the upper surface of the platform 7 or on to the upper surface of the platform 8. As a card is moved on to a platform it passes over card-locating means shown as abutments I3, 14 and card-aligning means, shown as a patter 15, is operable to engage a card and locate it against the abutment 13 or 14 appropriate thereto by effecting movement of the card towards the abutment sothat the trailing edge of the card, that is the edge which is the trailing edge as the card is moved over the abutments on to the platforms, is engaged by the abutment. The patter i5 is carried by an arm 16 pivoted at 17 and rocked by a cam 18, rotation of which is effected in any suitable manner in timed relation with the operation of the picker element 3. As illustrated in the drawings, the cards are fed from the magazine in a direction which is transverse to the length of the cards.

On starting up the machine, the platforms 7 and 8, which constitute a waiting station, are each primed with a card and on receipt of a signal, for example from a computing machine to be controlled by the cards, a card is moved lengthwise from the platform 7 or 3 as required by the signal-initiating machine. For example the first card may be delivered from platform 7, the second card from platform 8, the third card from platform 7, and so on, thus maintaining the sequence in which the cards are delivered from the magazine 2. Alternatively, two or more cards may be delivered in succession from one platform while another card waits on the other of the platforms. The cards ar moved lengthwise from the platform 7 by card ejectors shown as pusher elements 19, 26, FIG. 2, operable by electrical ejector-controlling devices. As shown in FIG. 2, the pusher elements are pivoted respectively at 2:1, 22, and connected to the armatures 23, 24 of pusher-operating solenoids 2'5, 26. Accordingly, it will be understood that when a signal is received by a solenoid 25, or 26, from the computing machine or other signal-initiating source, the pusher element of the pusher-operating solenoid receiving the signal will be rocked about its pivot, to the left as viewed in FIG. 2, so that the card resting on the platform appropriate to the pusher element is moved from the platform to be engaged by feed rollers 27, 28 of known construction, and of which the roller 28 is a positively rotated roller. The rollers 27, 28 feed the card lengthwise towards the card-reading mechanism, not shown.

It will be understood that once the apparatus has been set in operation the supply of cards to the platforms 7, 8 is maintained in a manner such that a card is delivered to a platform immediately a card has been removed therefrom and it will also be understood that as the cards are removed from the platforms 7, 8 under control of signals received from a computer or other source it may not be necessary to deliver a card from the magazine at each cyclic operation of the picker element 3. To accommodate this need without interrupting the cyclic operation of the picker element 3, the stack of cards contained in the magazine rests upon two leaf springs 29, 30 FIG. 3, between which the picker element is reciprocable. The

ends of the springs 29, which are nearest the position at which a card leaves the magazine are anchored to posts 31, FIGS. 1 and 4, extending upwards from a fixed plate 32. The leaf springs are utilised to lift the cards in the magazine to the position thereof indicated in FIG. 1 at which the lowermost card of the stack is raised to a position such that it will not be engaged and removed from the magazine by the picker element 3.

Movement of the leaf springs to the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 is effected by axially reciprocable members 33, 34 which are supported by a carriage 35 having a stem 36, FIGS. 3 and 4, the longitudinal axis of which is parallel with the axes of the members 33, 34. The stem 36 extends into a slide 37 located in a housing '38. The slide 37 is urged by a spring 39- towards a retaining arm 49, the retaining arm 40 being a bell-crank lever pivoted at 41 and connected to a connecting arm 42 carried by a strap 43 surrounding an eccentric 44 which is rotatable with a spindle 45 which also carries a cam 46 arranged to effect reciprocation of the picker element 3. The slide 37 incorporates a stem actuating interposer 47 arranged to control axial reciprocation of the members 33, 34, the interposer 47 being connected with the armature 48 of a card-feed interrupter solenoid 49. The interposer 47 is connected with the armature 48 to be movable there by in a direction at right-angles to the axis of the stem 36 and connection between the interposer 47 and the arma ture 48 is effected by pin 50 located in a slot 51 formed in an extension 52 of the armature 4S. Solenoid 49 is energised during each cycle of the picker element 3 following the element 3 reaching the position thereof at which a card is, or could be, delivered thereby from the magazine. This condition is achieved by timing a contact switch, not shown, for solenoid 49 with the shaft 45, said switch being included in the computer circuit. Once solenoid 49 is energised, thus interrupting the feeding of cards from the magazine, it remains energized until one of the solenoids 25, 26 receives a signal from the computer such signal also being effective to de-energise solenoid 49.

When the stack of cards 1 is located relative to the picker element 3 to permit movement of the bottom card of the stack from the magazine by the picker element 3, the cards and the leaf springs are in the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 4. and the lower end of stem 35 is located in a slot 53 formed in the interposer 47. When the solenoid 49 is energised by a signal indicative of the fact that there is a card in position on each of the platforms 7 and 8, the armature 48 is moved to the left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4, so that the stem 36 is raised by eccentric 44 and arm 40 to the position thereof indicated in FIG. 1, thereby flexing upwards the leaf springs 29, 30 so that the picker element 3 is rendered ineffective to move a card out of the magazine during the next feeding stroke thereof. The solenoid 49 remains energised until one of the solenoids 25, 26 receives a signal to effect feeding of a card from the appropriate platform 7 or 8, and, at this time, as mentioned above, the solenoid 49 is de-energised thus returning the interposer 47 to the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 4 and conditioning the apparatus to permit the picker element 3 to deliver a card from the magazine on the next forward movement of the picker element. It will be understood that when the interposer 47 is in position thereof shown in FIG. 4 the eccentric 44 and arm 40, although operable cyclically with the picker element 3, will not eifect upward movement of stem 36 because the slot 53 is then aligned with the stem.

The distributor-operating solenoid 12 is energised, as

appropriate, by one or other of the pusher operating solenoids 25, 26 so that the distributor 10 is properly positioned relative to the platforms 7 and 8 according to the platform which is to receive a further card following reform while two or more successive cards are fed from the other of the platforms the information as to the number of cards to be fed from said other platform in precedence to the said one card is contained on said one card and is sensed therefrom by a sensing device SD, FIG. 5, which transmits the information to the computer, or other source, which controls the order of operation of the pusher-operating solenoids 25, 26. The sensing device SD may be of any suitable kind such for example as described in application Serial No. 785,840 filed January 9, 1959, now United States Patent No. 2,944,156, and is operable to sense each card as it passes from magazine 2 to one of the platforms 7, 8.

In the modified form of the apparatus diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 6 the pusher elements 19, 20 are replaced by flicker elements formed by leaf springs 19a, 20a one end of each of which is rigidly anchored as at 19b, 20b. The leaf springs 19a, 20a, are normally retained in the flexed inactive condition thereof by electrical ejector-controlling devices formed by electromagnets 25a, 26a.

On receipt of a card ejection signal by one of the electromagnets 25a, 26a that electromagnet is deenergised so that the free end of the leaf spring appropriate thereto is released and is flicked towards the platform with which it co-operates thereby to engage the card resting on that platform and to flick it between the feed rollers 27, 28 for movement thereby.

Following the release of a leaf spring it is restored to the normal inactive position thereof by a restoring element 54 or 55 as appropriate. The restoring elements comprise pins carried respectively by arms 56, 57 rockable against the action of springs 58, 59 by rotary solenoids 60, 61. The solenoids 6t 61 are energised as appropriate by signals emitted by the computer and such a signal is received by a solenoid after a predetermined interval following de-energisation of the appropriate electromagnet 25a or 26a. On energisation thereof a solenoid 61) or 61 rotates its arm 56 or 57 so that the restoring pin carried thereby is engaged with the lead spring appropriate thereto and returns it into engagement with the appropriate electromagnet 23a or 24a and this is again energised just before the leaf spring reaches it. Following the return of the leaf spring to the inactive position thereof the activated rotary solenoid is de-energised and the spring 58 or 59 as appropirate restores the solenoid arm to the inactive or datum position thereof.

I claim:

1. Card feeding apparatus comprising a magazine, cardfeeding means including a reciprocable picker element to deliver cards from the magazine, at least two card-receiving platforms spaced apart one over the other each to receive a card delivered from the magazine, feeding elements operable to withdraw cards from the platforms, card ejectors, one for each platform, selectively operable to move cards from the platforms appropriate thereto and to deliver each card to said feeding elements, a distributor movable relative to the platforms and operable to guide on to the platforms cards delivered by said card-feeding means, and interrupter means co-operating with the picker element and operable to render the picker element ineffective in response to a signal indicative of the fact that there is a card on each platform.

2. Card feeding apparatus comprising a magazine, cardfeeding means including a reciprocable picker element to deliver cards from the magazine, at least two card-receiving platforms spaced apart one over the other each to receive a card delivered from the magazine, feeding elements operable to withdraw cards from the platforms, card-ejectors, one for each platform, operable to move cards from the platforms appropriate thereto and to deliver each card to said feeding elements, a selectively operable electrical ejector-controlling device co-operating with each card-ejector to control operation thereof, a distributor movable relative to the platforms and operable to guide on to the platforms cards delivered by said cardfeeding means, and interrupter means co-operating with the picker element and operable to render the picker element ineffective in response to a signal indicative of the fact that there is a card on each platform.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including for each said platform card-locating means over which a card passes while being moved on to the platform, and card-aligning means operable to engage a card on the platform and to locate against said locating means that edge of the card which is the trailing edge as the card is moved over the locating means onto the platform.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which a card is moved transversely to the length thereof by said cardfeeding means and lengthwise thereof by a card ejector.

5. Card feeding apparatus comprising a magazine, cardfeeding means including a cyclically operable picker element to deliver cards from the magazine, at least two card-receiving platforms spaced apart one over the other each to receive a card delivered from the magazine, feeding elements operable to withdraw cards from the platform, card-ejectors, one for each platform, operable to move cards from the platforms appropriate thereto and to deliver each card to said feeding elements, a selectively operable electrical ejector-controlling device co-operating with each card ejector to control operation thereof, a distributor movable relative to the platforms and operable to guide on to the platforms cards delivered by said cardfeeding means, and interrupter means selectively operable to elevate cards in the magazine to a position such as to prevent feeding engagement of the picker element with a card.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, including leaf springs on which cards in the magazine rest, said leaf springs extending lengthwise on opposite sides of the path of the picker element and having anchored those ends thereof which are nearest the position at which a card leaves the magazine, and axially reciprocable members engaging the undersides of the leaf springs at positions adjacent to the free ends thereof to effect said elevation of cards resting on the leaf springs.

7. Card feeding apparatus comprising a magazine, card-feeding means including a reciprocable picker element to deliver cards from the magazine, at least two card-receiving platforms spaced apart one over the other each to receive a card delivered from the magazine, feeding elements operable to withdraw cards from the platforms, a pusher element co-operable with each platform to move a card therefrom to said feeding elements, selectively operable pusher-operating solenoids connected one to each pusher to control operation thereof, a distributor movable relative to the platforms and operable to guide on to the platforms cards delivered by said cardfeeding means, a distributor-operating solenoid operatively connected with said distributor and operable in timed relation with said pusher-operating solenoids to effect operation of the distributor, and interrupter means co-operating with the picker element and operable to render the picker element ineffective in response to a signal indicative of the fact that there is a card on each platform.

8. Card feeding, apparatus comprising a magazine, card-feeding means including a cyclically operable picker element to deliver cards from the magazine, at least two card-receiving platforms spaced apart one over the other each to receive a card delivered from the magazine, feeding elements operable to withdraw cards from the platforms, a pusher element co-operable with each platform to move a card therefrom to said feeding elements, selectively operable pusher-operating solenoids connected one to each pusher to control operation thereof, a distributor movable relative to the platforms and operable to guide on to the platforms cards delivered by said cardfeeding means, a distributor-operating solenoid operatively connected with said distributor and operable in timed relation with said pusher-operating solenoids to effect operation of the distributor, and interrupter means selectively operable to elevate cards in the magazine to a position such as to prevent feeding engagement of the picker element with a card.

9. Apparatus according to claim- 8, including leaf springs on which cards in the magazine rest, said leaf springs extending lengthwise on opposite sides of the path of the picker element and having anchored those ends thereof which are nearest the position at which a card leaves the magazine, and axially reciprocable members engaging the undersides of the leaf springs at positions adjacent to the free ends thereof to effect said elevation of cards resting on the leafsprings.

10. Apparatus according to claim 19, including a carriage supporting said members and having a stem the longitudinal axis of which is parallel with the axes of said members, a slide embracing said stem and located in a housing, a pivoted retaining arm co-oper-ating with the slide to urge it into the housing against the action of a spring, a stem-actuating cam incorporated in the stem, and an interrupter solenoid the armature of which is connected to the stem-actuating cam to eflect movement thereof in a direction at right angles to the axis of the stem, said cam being connected to the armature for movement relative thereto the stern in a direction parallel to the axis of the stem.

11. Card feeding apparatus comprising a magazine, card-feeding means including a reciprocable picker element to deliver cards from the magazine, at least two card-receiving platforms spaced apart one over the other each to receive a card delivered from the magazine, feeding elements operable to withdraw cards from the platforms, a flicker element appropriated to each platform and spring-urged towards the platform to move a card from the platform to said feeding elements, electromagnets one for each said flicker element and operable normally to constrain the flicker element against movement towards the platform, restoring means operable to restore a flicker element to the normally constrained position thereof following release of the flicker element by the electromagnet appropriate thereto, a distributor movable relative to the platform to guide on to a platform a card delivered by the card-feeding means, a distributor-operating solenoid operatively connected with said distributor and operable in timed relation with said electromagnet to effect operation of the distributor, and interrupter means co-operating with the picker element and operable to render the picker element ineffective in response to a signal indicative of the fact that there is a card on each platform.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each flicker element comprises a leaf spring one end of which is rigidly anchored and the opposite end of which is engageable by the electromagnet appropriate thereto.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each restoring means comprises a rotary solenoid having an arm movable therewith, and a restoring pin carried by said arm for co-operation with the leaf spring.

14. Card feeding apparatus comprising a magazine, card-feeding elements including a cyclically operable picker element to deliver cards from the magazine, at least two card-receiving platforms spaced apart one over the other each to receive a card delivered from the magazine, feeding elements operable to withdraw cards from the platforms, a flicker element appropriated to each platform and spring-urged towards the platform to move a card from the platform to said feeding elements, electromagnets one for each said flicker element and operable normally to constrain the flicker element against movement towards the platform, restoring means operable to restore a flicker element to the normally constrained position thereof following release of the flicker element by the electromagnet appropriate thereto, a distributor movable relative to the platforms to guide on to a platform a card delivered by the card-feeding means, a distributor-operating solenoid operatively connected with said distributor and operable in timed relation with said electromagnets to effect operation of the distributor, and interrupter means selectively operable to elevate cards in the magazine to a position such as to prevent feeding engagement of the picker element with a card.

'15. Apparatus according to claim 14, including leaf springs on which cards in the magazine rest, said leaf springs extending lengthwise on opposite sides of the path of the picker element and having anchored those ends thereof which are nearest the position at which a card leaves the maagzine, and axially reciprocable members engaging the undersides of the leaf springs at positions adjacent to the free ends thereof to effect said elevation of cards resting on the leaf springs.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, including a carriage supporting said members and having a stem the longitudinal axis of which is parallel with the axes of said members, a slide embracing said stem and located in a housing, a pivoted retaining arm co-operating with the slide to urge it into the housing against the action of a spring, a stem-actuating cam incorporated in the stern, and an interrupter solenoid the armature of which is connected to the stem-actuating cam to eifect movement thereof in a direction at right angles to the axis of the stern, said cam being connected to the armature for movement relative thereto by the stem in a direction parallel to the axis of the stem.

17. Card feeding apparatus comprising a magazine, at

least two card-receiving platforms disposed one above the other in spaced relation each to receive a card from said magazine, feeding means operable to Withdraw cards from the platforms, card ejectors, one foreach platform, selectively operable to move a card from the platform appropriate thereto and to deliver the card to said feeding elements, card-feeding means operable to feed cards one at a time from the magazine to said platforms, and control means operable on operation of any one of said ejectors to effect operation of the card-feeding means to deliver a card from the magazine to the platform from which a card has been moved by the ejector appropriate thereto thereby to maintain a card in position on each of the platforms for selective movement therefrom by the ejector appropriate thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,007,008 Roesen Oct. 24, 1911 1,296,727 Wright Mar. 11, 1919 1,489,166 Spiess Apr. 1, 1924 1,864,075 Lasker June 21, 1932 2,151,177 Alvine Mar. 21, 1939 2,358,051 Broide Sept. 12, 1944 2,479,060 Davidson Aug. 16, 1949 2,533,309 Blakely Dec. 12, 1950 2,563,600 Goodwin Aug. 7, 1951 2,906,196 Ritzerfeld Sept. 29, 1959 

